LCD vs LED vs Plasma HDTVs

LED, LCD and Plasma are the three most common types of HDTVs. To help you decide which HDTV to buy we will discuss the certain advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Plasma - the oldest technology of the three. Plasma TV screens work sort of like a halogen headlight. The advantages are that there is almost no motion blur, no matter how fast objects on the screen are moving. Plus, they display black extremely well and can be viewed clearly even for those not in front of the screen. Unfortunately, they can have burn-in, a condition where images leave a permanent mark on-screen. They also use the most electricity, and may have glare or flicker.

LCD – Liquid crystal display is the most common of the three. They use the same technology as on laptops, using a silicon chip to create images. Their advantages and disadvantages are basically opposite from plasma screens – less trouble with burn in, reflection, and less power used. Unfortunately, they don’t display black colors as well as plasma TVs and they best for those directly in front of the screen.

LED – Light-emitting diode – this is the newest, most expensive, and most power efficient technology. They use LEDs rather than bulbs. There are edge lit screens, which are thinner, and rear lit, with blacks as good as plasmas. These basically have all the benefits of plasma and LCD, with the only real disadvantage of an LCD-like viewing angle. The image is still clear from other angles, but it is optimized for viewers directly in front of the screen.